1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chamber for asphyxiating trapped animals. In particular, the invention provides an asphyxiation chamber which is portable, collapsible and conveniently connected to any source of an immobilizing or lethal gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of traps for rodents and small animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, ground hogs, raccoons, skunks and the like are well known in the art. Jaw traps and baited cage traps having trap door entrances are particularly well known. A typical cage trap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,704 issued May 27, 1986 to Seymour A. Volk. According to this patent, an animal is drawn inside of a cage by bait placed on a movable floor of the cage. The weight of the animal causes the floor to move which in turn triggers movement of a series of connecting linkages which cause the entrance door to close and lock. While the patentee discusses the procedure for releasing animals that have been trapped by the patented device, he makes no mention of how trapped animals can conveniently be immobilized while they are still trapped. Disposing of trapped animals has become a problem because of various environmental and conservation regulations. Shooting such animals is dangerous and in some cases illegal, particularly in urban and suburban communities. Disposal by drowning is inhumane and presents contamination problems. Poison is another undesirable alternative since other wild life may have access to the poison.
Disposing of trapped animals by asphyxiation is a well known technique. Some traps are constructed so that the trapped animal suffocates from lack of an adequate supply of oxygen. A typical trap of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,170 issued Nov. 29, 1988 to Kingsbury et al. The use of this trap is limited by its size to trapping rodents. It also employs a slow and therefore inhumane method of asphyxiation, i.e. deprivation of oxygen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,983 issued Aug. 26, 1975 to Petrosky describes a mobil gas chamber for rats wherein rats are baited, trapped and then subjected to the lethal exhaust fumes from a motor vehicle. This device is expensive and lacks versatility in that it is designed to only trap rats in metropolitan areas and it must be mounted on a truck.
Based on humane and safety considerations, it is generally more advantageous to use a cage trap than a jaw trap. Also, asphyxiation is the preferred means for disposing of trapped animals for safety, health and humane reasons. Asphyxiation is particularly advantageous because it kills parasites or other infestations that may be contained in the animal's coat. A major disadvantage to asphyxiation, however, is the inconvenience of supplying lethal gas to a trap, particularly when the trap is located in a relatively remote area. Traps having a source of lethal gas attached directly to the trapping device partially overcome this disadvantage. However, such traps can be cumbersome and expensive.
There is a need for humanely, safely, conveniently and economically disposing of trapped animals by asphyxiation at or near the place where they are trapped. There is also a need for humanely immobilizing trapped animals so that they can be transported to another location for either release or disposal.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a chamber for asphyxiating trapped animals that is inexpensive, safe, easily transportable and efficient.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a chamber for asphyxiating trapped animals that is usable with a wide variety of animal traps.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a chamber for asphyxiating trapped animals that uses a range of immobilizing or lethal gases.